Packing-crate.



No. 779,734. PATENTED JAN. 10, 1905. E. e. QUAGKENBUSH.

PAGKING CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 779,734. PATENTED JAN. 10, 1905. E. G. QUAGKENBUSH.

PACKING GRATE.

APPLIGATIOYN FILED my 27. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES Patented January 10, 1905.

EDGAR G. QUAOKENBUSH, OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA.

PACKING-CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,734, dated January 10, 1905.

Application filed May 27,1904. Serial No. 210,079.

T all whmn it natty concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR G. QUAOKEN- BUSH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Falls Church, Fairfax county, Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Packing-Crates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of the invention is to provide a receptacle for packing or storing fragile articlessuch as crockery, glassware, and the like-which are of irregular shapes, so that each article may be readily inserted and securely retained in an individual cell or pocket without the interposition of loose straw, excelsior, or the like between the several articles and without any danger of the articles being displaced or broken in the operations of packing, transportation, or removal.

To this end the invention comprises a connected series of extensible pockets or cells formed of flexible fabric and preferably mounted in an inclosing casing, the individual cells being adapted to be extended or expanded to receive the article and to be subsequently contracted or compressed longitudinally to embrace and retain the article within the walls thereof, so that the material forming the pockets shall be interposed between the several articles.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of casing or receptacle containing multiple series of expansible cells or pockets of varying sizes. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof with the top removed. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of a single series of longitudinally-expansible cells or pockets.

The particular form of the invention illustrated represents a packing or storing receptacle for a set of table-crockery; but of course it is to be understood that the invention is as well adapted for packing and storing fragile articles of any other character, whether they are of regular or irregular sizes and shapes. In the drawings, A represents a containing box or casing, which is provided with a padding of excelsior or similar material on the bottom thereof. Said casing is provided with a lid or cover B, which in the form of the invention illustrated is provided with slats C, so that the contents of the casing may be viewed.

Resting on the bottom padding or lining of the casing are several series of longitudinally expansible or extensible pockets or cells formed of flexible fabric, such as thick paper, strawboard, or the like. The preferred form of the connected series of pockets or cells consists of strips of thick paper or strawboard a a, constituting the sides of the series, the respective strips being bent or folded throughout their length in a series of abrupt combinations or zigzag folds, which are arranged opposite each other in the respective strips to constitute bellows-like folds throughout the length of the series. The contiguous inner edges of the folded strips are joined together, so that the series of cells thus formed may be extended or contracted longitudinally as a whole. In order to strengthen the series to afford asupport for the lower portion of the article placed in the individual pockets or cells and to render the series substantially self-collapsing, a third strip 0 of paper provided with successive bellows or zigzag folds or convolutions is arranged longitudinally of the series of cells or pockets in the manner clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, the vertically-arranged folds of the strip 0 being secured to the abutting folds of the side strips (0 by a suitable adhesive for about half the depth of the pockets. This arrangement provides a connected series of pockets which may be expanded or contracted in the direction of the length of the series and which have correspondingly-expansible bottom sections for supporting the articles to be packed or stored. By making the depth of the convolutions in the strip 0 substantially equal to the vertical height of the side strips a when the series has been extended to receive the articles the lower bends or convolutions of the strip 0, constituting the bottoms of the respective pockets, are slightly elevated. and when the articles are placed in the pockets the weight thereof forces the bottoms of the pockets downward and causes the series of pockets to contract longitudinally, so that the articles are closely embraced by the material of the-pockets, and therefore are securely protected against shocks or jars incident to handling and the several articles are prevented from coming in contact with each other.

lVhile it is not essential that this latter and preferred form of the cells of pockets be inclosed in a box or receptacle, yet it is generally desirable that they be so inclosed when the articles are to be transported or subjected to rough handling. 1n packing or storing a complete set of table-crockery, for instance, the req uisitc number of series of cells or pockets to receive all of the articles are placed in the box or receptacle with the bottoms of the series resting upon the padding on the bottom of the box and the several series are so adjusted and arranged within the box as to subserve the greatest economy and facility in packing. here the articles are of such varying shapes and sizes as a set of crockery, the cells of the several series are made of correspondingly-varying sizes-that is to say, one series of cells will be of sufficient depth and width to receive the largest plates, as indicated at 6 in Fig. 2, other series, as 1, 2, and 3, will be of the proper dimensions to receive the various platters, bowls, &c., while various series,as 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9, will be of proper dimensions to receive the other articles constituting the set. In each instancethe individual cells of the several series are of such size as to be expanded sufficiently to permit the articles to be readily dropped therein and subseq ucntly closely embraced and retained by the side and bottom members of the cells. l/Vhen any series of cells has been filled with the articles, the whole series is compressed longitudinally to cause the walls of the pockets or cells to closely engage the articles, and when the entire number of series have been filled and compressed the space between the various series or between the pockets or cells and the walls of the retaining box or receptacle may be filled by suitable padding, or even by loose paper or similar material, to hold the various series securely in place and prevent movement thereof within the receptacle.

It is to be particularly observed that a packing or storing device of the character above described permits the most fragile articles to be securely packed by an unskilled person in avery short space of time, and that, too, without the use of straw, excelsior, or the like. It is also to be noted that when the cells are inclosed in a suitable casing the apparatus may be subjected to the roughest handling without danger of breaking the articles packed or stored therein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A receptacle for packing or storing crockery and the like, comprising a series of extensible pockets, formed of two lateral strips bent in zigzag folds and a third strip having zigzag folds connecting the lateral strips and forming the pocket-bottoms; so constructed and arranged that the pockets Will be caused to grip the article contained therein.

2. A receptacle for packing or storing crockcry and the like, comprising a series of extensible pockets, comprising two vertical strips bent transversely in zigzag folds, and a strip having vertical folds secured to the vertical strips, to bind the same together and constitute a bottom for each of the pockets; whereby the pockets will be drawn together by the movement of the bottom-forming strip to grip the article contained therein.

3. A receptacle for packing or storing crockery and the like, omprising a series of extensible pockets, formed of two vertical lateral strips of flexible fabric bent transversely in zigzag folds, the inner folds of the respective strips lying opposite each other, and a longitudinal strip having vertical folds, of sub stantially the same depth as the lateral strips, secured to inner folds of the lateral strips to bind said strips together and constitute a bottom for each pocket; whereby the pocketbottoms will be elevated by the distension of the pockets and the sides will be drawn together to grip an article contained therein as said article forces the bottom downward.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDGAR G. QUACKENBUSH.

WVitnesses:

CHAS. J. ONEIIQL, J. E. HU'rcHINsoN, Jr. 

